Global business forum in Vancouver aimed at forging new B.C.-India links

Published: March 11, 2013

LARISSA CAHUTE
VANCOUVER DESI

Praveen Kadle, founding managing director & CEO, Tata Capital, is one of the featured speakers at the inaugural B.C.-India Global Business Forum. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images

The timing of the provinceâ€™s B.C.-India Global Business Forum aimed at fostering trade and investment relationships with India â€śmakes sense.â€ť

Business leaders from both India and B.C. will be speaking at the inaugural forum at the Vancouver Convention Centre Tuesday.

After B.C. built a successful relationship with China in 2002, the provincialÂ government is hoping to explore the opportunities in India so local companies can network and learn how to benefit from its fast growing economy.

â€śTen years ago, we reached out to establish new trade relationships with China. Over the past decade those efforts have translated into billions of dollars in new investment and countless jobs for B.C. families,â€ť Pat Bell, Minister for Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training, said in a release. â€śWe aim to achieve the same success in India.â€ť

According to The Economistâ€™s South Asia bureau chief and forum panellist Adam Roberts, nowâ€™s the time for British Columbia to branch out.

â€śYou want to kind of put your eggs in different baskets in Asia,â€ť Roberts said Monday.

He believes Canadaâ€™s natural resources will be an asset to India while India’s huge population and fast growing economy will be advantageous to B.C.

Â â€śItâ€™s the right time for this idea,â€ť said Roberts. â€ś(And) there will be more rewards as the Indian economy grows.

â€śSo it makes sense for people to start understanding the Indians there.â€ť

Originally from the United Kingdom, Roberts has been stationed in Delhi for two and a half years. As a panellist he plans to share his advice based on his time living there.

â€śSome things about India can sound very intimidating from a distance,â€ť he said. â€śBut itâ€™s much more straightforward when you get there.â€ť

Roberts suggests developing good local contacts and on-the-ground knowledge.

â€śGet a good local partner and good local advice because nothing beats knowledge on the ground, getting there and getting to see the place,â€ť he said.

But he warned it can be difficult working and dealing with the Indian bureaucrats.

â€ś(Thereâ€™s) problems of corruption â€¦ the politics of the place, itâ€™s quite a murky place to do business sometimes,â€ť he said, which is why he suggests getting to know the area first.

Other panellists include:

B.C. Premier Christy Clark

Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma, Indian High Commissioner to Canada

Praveen Kadle, founding managing director & CEO, Tata Capital

Puneet Vatsayan, founder & chairman, The Hatch for Startups

M.J. Akbar, leading Indian journalist and editor-in-chief, The Sunday Guardian